JORDAN TOWNSHIP – One child sustained unknown injuries during a two-vehicle accident, which involved a school bus, at 4:05 p.m. Monday along McCartney Road in Jordan Township, Clearfield County.
According to the Clearfield-based state police, bus driver Donald L. Gearhart, 27, of Houtzdale and Kenny L. Sloppy, 26, of Irvona were traveling westbound on McCartney Road. Gearhart stopped just prior to the road’s intersection with state Route 729, and Sloppy stopped behind him.
At that point, Gearhart attempted to back up after missing one passenger’s bus stop. He didn’t observe Sloppy’s vehicle that was stopped behind him and proceeded to back up. He struck the front end of Sloppy’s vehicle with the back of the school bus.
Both the school bus and Sloppy’s vehicle came to a rest at the point of impact. The school bus sustained minor damage, while Sloppy’s vehicle had disabling damage and was towed from the scene.
A 5-year-old girl was transported by the Madera Emergency Medical Services to the Clearfield Hospital as a result of the accident. Neither the eight other school bus passengers, nor Gearhart and Sloppy were injured.
Gearhart will be cited for limitations on backing through the district court in Houtzdale.